Universal Kids Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Parents comment that their children run into this outstanding nursery very enthusiastically, excited to start their day. Children can choose to play and learn outdoors in all weathers. They are deeply involved in their learning, displaying constant enjoyment and motivation when they play. Older children persevere and work things out for themselves. They have wonderful ideas and demonstrate excellent vocabularies. For example, when playing in a large sit-in sandpit outside, children decide to make a 'river'. They work together to empty and carry a large bucket inside and fill it with water from the tap. Children construct ramps from guttering and proudly exclaim that they have made a 'waterfall'. They extend their play by using planks of wood to make a 'bridge' to balance and walk across.

Staff want all children to achieve their full potential and have the best start in life. Children sit in cosy areas in the garden, retelling their favourite stories from books. Older children confidently comment on who the author and illustrator are. Children are constantly encouraged to sing and join in with rhymes. Younger children delight in choosing their favourite song from props in a bag. All children become very confident communicators. Children have many opportunities to practise the skills needed for early writing. They make marks with mud and sticks, use their hands to mix paint in large trays and paint with water on the wall outdoors. Younger children are engrossed when jumping barefoot in puddles outdoors, noticing the marks that their footprints have left. Children have vast experiences to learn about the world around them. For instance, they have hands-on experiences to learn about the importance of bees and pollination.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff have a detailed knowledge of how children learn and develop. They plan a curriculum that helps every child to make the best possible progress. Staff skilfully adapt activities to take account of what individual children need to learn next.
• The nursery provides excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff put detailed support plans in place for children with SEND. They use additional funding to provide additional support for children who may need it. Staff use signs and visuals and adapt their language to help children with SEND to communicate.
• Children's behaviour is exceptional. Children happily take turns without prompting. Staff help children to think about how to work together to solve problems. For instance, older children work out themselves that it is 'kind' and 'fair' to share four cups equally in the home corner.
• Staff are mindful of children's experiences and backgrounds, and use additional funding to provide activities to widen children's life experiences. For example, staff recognise that some children live in flats and do not have gardens. Therefore, they provide children with a wealth of opportunities to be outdoors.
• Children show a keen interest in growing fruit and vegetables in the nursery's garden. They proudly take their produce to the kitchen to be cooked for their meals. Staff provide advice to parents about the importance of nutritious meals for their children. For example, they share recipes for vegetable soup.
• Parents are overwhelming positive about their children's experiences in the nursery. They receive advice about how to support their child's development at home and are signposted to resources to help them further. Parents particularly appreciate the regular stay-and-play sessions, where they come into nursery and take part in activities with staff and their children.
• Managers continually observe staff's practice to extend their knowledge and the quality of education even further. They plan training that has a positive impact on children. For instance, staff have attended Makaton training to support children with SEND. Most staff have worked at the nursery for many years and comment that they receive excellent levels of support from managers.
• Children have opportunities to constantly explore and investigate. Staff encourage children to have their own ideas and make predictions. For instance, children work out how to free toy dinosaurs from ice, examine minibeasts with magnifying glasses, and experiment to see if objects will 'float' or 'sink'. This helps children to be confident learners, whose views are very much valued.
• Staff form very effective partnerships with other professionals. For instance, they complete the required progress check for children aged between two and three years onsite with health visitors. Staff accompany children with SEND on their visits to school, to support successful transitions for children.
• At mealtimes, staff and children eat together and have lovely conversations about their morning. Children benefit from a range of very healthy and home-cooked food. They develop their independence skills at every opportunity. For instance, they wash their hands spontaneously before eating and carefully pour their own drinks at lunchtimes.
• Staff offer children many activities to help them learn about festivals that are important to the other children in nursery. For instance, staff have attended training to help children to understand about their friends who celebrate Ramadan.